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Staff member

Prof Vasu Reddy

Name:	Reddy, Vasu (Prof, V.)
Department:	Human and Social Development
Location:	Pretoria
Telephone:	+27 (0)12 302 2206
E-mail:

Research outputs

Research Reports

Moletsane, R., Reddy, V., Ntombela, S., Dayal, H., Wiebesiek, L., Munthree, C., Kongolo, M. & Masilela, T. (2010) Gender and poverty reduction: voice, dialogue and targeting. (Commissioned by Department of Science and Technology's (DST) Unit on Technology for Social Impact).

This study examined the gendered dimensions of poverty in South Africa and their implications for poverty reduction interventions in South Africa. The study identifies and analyses national approaches to understanding and addressing poverty and their integration of gender. It also identifies and analyses approaches to understanding and addressing poverty and their integration of gender in three...

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Moletsane, R. & Reddy, V. (2008) Report: an assessment of the participation of women in set industry for Department of Science and Technology. (Commissioned by NACI, October).

Persistent gender imbalances in the workplace, but particularly in the Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) sector continue to impact negatively on South Africa's global competitiveness in growing and sustaining its economy, particularly its knowledge economy. One of the major challenges confronting post-apartheid South Africa is that of delivering increased economic growth, wealth creatio...

Reddy, V. & Moletsane, R. (2009) The gendered dimensions of food security in South Africa: a review of the literature. (March).

The study establishes that interventions addressing food insecurity in its gendered context imply that women are playing key roles in households and that to meet the food gaps, a combination of factors need to be employed by women and girls that must be supported by the policy framework. Consequently, gender needs to be more strongly foregrounded as a feature of the policy framework; more tar...

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Reddy, V. & Weir-Smith, G. (2008) Africa's Social Accountability Profile (ASAP) Phase 1 report: a desk based study of Egypt, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Senegal, Tanzania and Togo. (Report prepared for ANSA-Africa, March).

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Rispel, L., Metcalf, C., Cloete, A. & Reddy, V. (2009) HIV, transactional sex & experiences of sexual coercion among men who have sex with men (MSM) in the Johannesburg/eThekwini Men's Study (JEMS). (Paper presented to the Public Health Association of South Africa (PHASA), Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, 30 November to 2 December).

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Rispel, L., Metcalf, C., Cloete, A., Reddy, V., Townsend, L. & Zembe, Y. (2009) The Johannesburg/eThewkini Men's Study (JEMS): a rapid assessment of the HIV epidemic among men who have sex with men (MSM) in South Africa: technical report. (Commissioned by the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID), February).

Because of the highly confidential status of this report no abstract is available.

Books and chapters in books

Bennett, J. & Reddy, V. (2010) Investigar pedagogias sobre sexualidades en la educacion superior en Sudafrica. In: Ortiz-Ortega, A. & Pecheny, M. (eds). Ensenanza universitaria sobre genero y sexualidades en Argentina, Chile, China, Mexico y Sudafrica. Buenos Aires: Teseo. 37-67.

Mkhize, N., Bennett, J., Reddy, V. & Moletsane, R. (2010) The country we want to live in: hate crimes and homophobia in the lives of black lesbian South Africans. Cape Town: HSRC Press.

The country we want to live in: Hate crimes and homophobia in the lives of black lesbian South Africans offers a refreshing perspective on violence perpetrated against black lesbians. Based on a Roundtable seminar, held during the 2006 16 Days of Activism for no Violence against Women and Children, the text engages the heteronormative focus of the campaign, profiles aspects of the dynamic conve...

Potgieter, C. & Reddy, V. (2009) Contesting the "private" and "public": the representation of sex, politics and culture in the event(s) of the Jacob Zuma versus Kwezi rape trial in South Africa. In: Festic, F. (ed). Betraying the event: constructions of victimhood in comtemporary cultures. Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars. 87-116.

The chapter provides a perspective on the meanings of the Jacob Zuma versus Kwezi Rape Trial in South Africa. The chapter looks at the various meanings of "private" versus "public" by close reading the events surrounding the trial, both in relation to the legal proceedings within the court and the public protests outside the courtroom. The chapter offers a close reading of the judgment not in a...

Reddy, V. (2010) The "queer" politics of homo(sexuality) and matters of identity: tentative notes in the context of HIV/AIDS. In: Aggleton, P. & Parker, R. (eds). Routledge handbook of sexuality, health and rights. London: Routledge. 433-443.

This chapter outlines a theoretical formulation of sexuality in relation to politics, health, rights and identity in South Africa. Making the argument that the personal is political, the chapter provides a sustained argument motivating why struggles for erotic justice in South Africa are deeply connected to meanings and ideas about sex, sexuality, gender justice and activism. Central to this ...

Reddy, V. & Sandfort, T. (2009) Barriers to HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and treatment for men who have sex with men. In: Marlink, R.G. & Teitelman, S.J. (eds). From the ground up: building comprehensive HIV/AIDS care programs in resource-limited settings. Washington, DC: Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. 413-420.

The chapter focuses on barriers addressing prevention, care, treatment for MSM. Structured around the terminology in current use, the chapter explicates key conceptual issues (sex, sexuality, disease and category formations), thereafter proceeding to research on MSM in sub-Saharan Africa that identifies the barriers in question, after which a perspective is offered on prevalence of HIV infecti...

Reddy, V., Sandfort, T. & Rispel, L. (eds). (2009) From social silence to social science: same-sex sexuality, HIV & AIDS and gender in South Africa: conference proceedings. Cape Town: HSRC Press.

This book presents a unique and innovative effort to examine what we know about homosexual transmission of HIV and AIDS in South Africa. It reverses the trend whereby categories of same sex sexual practice are almost always excluded from research of HIV and AIDS, as well as from care and intervention programmes. The varied contributors (academics, activists and programme planners) draw attentio...

Reddy, V., Sandfort, T. & Rispel, L. (2009) Introduction. In: Reddy, V., Sandfort, T. & Rispel, L. (eds). From social silence to social science: same-sex sexuality, HIV & AIDS and gender in South Africa: conference proceedings. Cape Town: HSRC Press. xi-xxxiii.

Reddy, V. (2009) Queer marriage: sexualising citizenship and the development of freedoms in South Africa. In: Steyn, M. & Van Zyl, M. (eds). The prize and the price: shaping sexualities in South Africa. Cape Town: HSRC Press. 341-363.

The chapter offers a queer theoretical reading and analysis of same-sex marriage in South Africa. The core argument situates marriage in terms of the unfolding jurisprudence that decriminalized same-sex sexuality in South Africa, and outlines meanings of same-sex marriage in the broader national debate about identity, sexuality, gender in a human rights context. The conclusions highlight the re...

Reddy, V. & Cakata, Z. (2008) Marriage, citizenship and contested meanings. In: Judge, M., Manion, A. & De Waal, S. (eds). To have & to hold: the making of same-sex marriage in South Africa. Johannesburg: Fanele. 274-277.

The chapter explores the contested meanings of same-sex marriage in the broader national debate about identity, sexuality, gender in a human rights context. The chapter highlights the gendered dimension of marriage in relation to same-sex marriage and the legal, social and political meanings that accrue within this debate.

Sandfort, T., Reddy, V. & Rispel, L. (2009) Taking research and prevention forward. In: Reddy, V., Sandfort, T. & Rispel, L. (eds). From social silence to social science: same-sex sexuality, HIV & AIDS and gender in South Africa: conference proceedings. Cape Town: HSRC Press. 228-241.

In this conclusion the authors briefly summarise what is known about same-sex sexuality in the South African HIV/AIDS epidemic. Based on the perspectives contained in the various chapters, they outline what the next steps should be and address ethical aspects and issues of relevance.

Journal Articles

Bennett, J. & Reddy, V. (2009) Researching the pedagogies of sexualities in South African higher education. International Journal of Sexual Health. 21(4):239-252.

The article explores the approaches taken by South African institutions of higher education to the teaching of sexualities and gender. In a national context in which issues of human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, legal reforms around reproductive and sexual rights, and critical discussions around the meanings of culture and sexuality abound, one might expect that...

Bennett, J. & Reddy, V. (2007) "Feeling the disconnect": teaching sexualities and gender in South African higher education. Feminist Africa. 9:43-62.

The article explores how, where, and why teaching occurs in the areas of gender and sexualities in South African Higher Education sites. The article maps the terrain of disciplinary engagement with sexualities and gender in South African Higher Education, with introductory research into the teaching of sexualities and gender in higher education institutions in South Africa. Central to the artic...

Cloete, A., Rispel, L., Metcalf, C. & Reddy, V. (2010) Being straight and being gay: identity or multiple desire: the case of South Africa. Sexuality in Africa. 6(1):9-10.

Constitution prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. In December 2006, South Africa became the fifth country in the world and the first in Africa to legalise same-sex marriage (Calitz, 2009). In the light of this legal equality, gay men and women have become more visible in South Africa and have made their voices heard in the public sphere (Graziano, 2004 a, b). Terms li...

Dubbeld, C.E., De Kadt, E. & Reddy, V. (2006) A preliminary bibliography of language and gender in South Africa. Southern African linguistics and applied language studies. 24(4):553-557.

Knox, J., Sandfort, T., Yi, H., Reddy, V. & Maimane, S. (2011) Social vulnerability and HIV testing among South African men who have sex with men. International Journal of STD & AIDS. 22:709-713.

This study examined whether social vulnerability is associated with HIV testing among South African men who have sex with men (MSM). A community-based survey was conducted with 300 MSM in Pretoria in 2008. The sample was stratified by age, race and residential status. Social vulnerability was assessed using measures of demographic characteristics, psychosocial determinants and indicators of ...

Knox, J., Yi, H., Reddy, V., Maimane, S. & Sandfort, T. (2010) The fallacy of intimacy: sexual risk behaviour and beliefs about trust and condom use among men who have sex with men in South Africa. Psychology, Health & Medicine. 15(6):660-671.

The objective of this study is to assess (1) whether beliefs about trust and condom use affect sexual risk behaviour, and (2) if beliefs about trust and condom use impact sexual risk behaviour directly or if this relationship is mediated by other determinants. The Information-Motivation-Behavioural Skills model was used as a framework for the mediation analysis. A diverse cohort of three hundre...

Magni, S. & Reddy, V. (2007) Performative queer identities: masculinities and public bathroom usage. Sexualities. 10(2):229-242.

This article critically examines the interface of gender, sex and identity within the context of bathroom facilities in a South African gay club. The public features and behaviors are contrasted with the bathrooms' private and abstract zones in terms of sexualized spaces and activities. The club's bathrooms function as spatial and physical discourses in which gender stability - with reference...

Pthouse-Morgan, K. & Reddy, V. (2010) Lipstick & HIV/AIDS prevention. HSRC Review. 8(4):26-27.

Globally, experts agree that gender equality is critical to effective HIV prevention. However, despite some pockets of success, efforts to advance gender equality in the context of HIV prevention have been hindered by a range of factors. Then enters a cosmetics house, and a unique project gets on the road. KATHLEEN PITHOUSE-MORGAN and VASU REDDY et al. tell us more.

Reddy, V., Moletsane, R. & Masilela, T. (2011) Introduction: framing the issues around affirmative action and equity in South Africa: policy, progress, prospects and platitudes. Transformation. 77:1-10.

Reddy, V. (2010) Identity, law, justice: thinking about sexual rights and citizenship in post-apartheid South Africa. Perspectives: Political Analysis and Commentary from Africa. 4:18-23.

South Africa's hard won gains are notable and has received global acclamation. However, on closer inspection, a more nuanced picture is evident. The translation of law into tangible and accessible justice for homosexuals indicates that dignity, equality, and respect are a struggle still being waged. At the receiving end of homophobia and bigotry are black women in particular, confirming that m...

Reddy, V., Munthree, C. & Wiebesiek, L. (2010) Rural women, HIV and human rights abuses in South Africa: a critical review. Agenda: Empowering Women for Gender Equity. 84:26-36.

A theme that reflects rural women's experiences is appropriately captured in an Amnesty International (AI) report titled "I am at the lowest end of all": Rural women living with HIV face human rights abuses in South Africa (2008). The study reported in the publication, undertaken in two provinces, namely Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal, examines patterns of human rights abuses of women who are ...

Reddy, V. & Moletsane, R. (2009) Gender and poverty reduction in its African feminist practice: an introduction. Agenda: Empowering Women for Gender Equity. 81:3-13.

This essay introduces this special edition on Gender and Poverty Reduction by offering a brief perspective on the meanings of poverty in its relational sense. The essay frames the emerging studies featured in the issue that build on current work across an interdisciplinary field, highlighting conceptualisations of poverty, and raising questions and concerns for future work. As a set, the vari...

Reddy, V. (2009) Turning sugar and spice on its head: recent research on the gendered meanings within girlhood studies. Agenda: Empowering Women for Gender Equity. 79:78-84.

This review focuses on two publications that foreground scholarly perspectives on "girlhood". Focusing on the inaugural issue of Girlhood Studies: An Interdisciplinary Journal (Summer 2008, Berghan Books) and Methodologies for Mapping a Southern African Girlhood in the Age of AIDS (Sense Publishers, 2008), the review offer a series of ideas that motivate why these two texts are to be considered...

Reddy, V. & Sandfort, T. (2008) Researching MSM in South Africa: some preliminary notes from the frontlines of a hidden epidemic. Feminist Africa. 11:29-54.

This article outlines some views on researching MSM (men who have sex with men) in South Africa based, in part, on insights gleaned from a recent working conference on gender, same-sex sexuality and HIV/AIDS in South Africa. The core concern is understanding what research processes should consider in future MSM research in relation to community knowledge, community participation and the desig...

Reddy, V. & Cakata, Z. (2007) 'Even animals of the same sex don't take this route': politics, rights and identity about same-sex marriage in South Africa. Sexuality in Africa. 4(1):1-4.

Reddy, V., Potgieter, C.A. & Mkhize, N. (2007) Cloud over the rainbow nation: 'corrective rape' and other hate crimes against black lesbians. HSRC Review. 5(1):10-11.

Violence against black lesbians has no place in our democracy and, along with other forms of discriminatory violence, requires dedicated public education and stronger condemnation by policy-makers and civil society in order to be eradicated.

Reddy, V. & Potgieter, C. (2006) 'Real men stand up for the truth': discursive meanings in the Jacob Zuma rape trial. Southern African Linguistics and Applied Language Studies. 24(4):511-521.

The focus of this paper is a preliminary analysis of the representation of meanings in relation to some aspects of the Jacob Zuma rape trial. The argument uses illustrative public evidence (notably media reports) of events and relates these to discourses generated by this trail. Drawing upon such data the argument foregrounds a feminist discursive reading of some central meanings articulated...

Reddy, V. (2006) Black, gay and out/in: interview with Utando Baduza. Agenda: empowering women for gender equity. 67(2/3):93-99.

Reddy, V. (2006) Decriminalisation of homosexuality in post-apartheid South Africa: a brief legal case history review from sodomy to marriage. Agenda: Empowering Women for Gender Equity. 67(2/3):146-157.

Reddy, V. (2006) Dedication to Ronald Louw. Agenda: empowering women for gender equity. 67:3.

Reddy, V. (2006) Editorial. Agenda: empowering women for gender equity. 67:2.

Reddy, V. & De Kadt, E. (2006) Thinking about language and gender: a South African perspective. Southern African linguistics and applied language studies. 24(4):417-423.

This brief critical review considers the historical and theoretical development of language and gender research by abstracting some of the key themes, debates and ideas before extending these to the issues raised in this editions. The paper raises questions about the empirical context within which language/gender studies research is taking place and situates current research within a broad the...

Rispel, L.C., Metcalf, C.A., Cloete, A., Reddy, V. & Lombard, C. (2011) HIV prevalence and risk practices among men who have sex with men in two South African cities. JAIDS - Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes. 57(1):69-76.

Background: In South Africa, information on HIV among men who have sex with men (MSM) is limited, and HIV prevention programs for men MSM are not widely available, despite global evidence that MSM are at substantial risk for HIV infection. The Johannesburg/eThekwini Men's Study was conducted during 2008 to provide information on HIV among MSM in Johannesburg and Durban. Methods: MSM aged 18 y...

Rispel, L.C., Metcalf, C.A., Cloete, A., Moorman, J. & Reddy, V. (2011) You became afraid to tell them that you are gay: health service utilization by men who have sex with men in South African cities. Journal of Public Health Policy. 32(S1):S137-S151.

We describe the utilization of health services by men who have sex with men (MSM) in South African cities, their perceptions of available health services, and their service preferences. We triangulated data from 32 key informant interviews (KIIs), 18 focus group discussions (FGDs) with MSM in four cities, and a survey of 285 MSM in two cities, recruited through respondentdriven sampling in 200...

Roberts, B., Weir-Smith, G. & Reddy, V. (2011) Minding the gap: attitudes toward affirmative action in South Africa. Transformation. 77:11-40.

Since its introduction, affirmative action has become an increasingly controversial policy to address labour market inequalities in South Africa. Yet, in spite of this public debate, nationally representative, empirical research on patterns of opposition to and support for the redress policy remains relatively circumscribed. In this article, attitudinal data collected over the past decade is em...

Roberts, B., Weir-Smith, G. & Reddy, V. (2010) Affirmative action. HSRC Review. 8(3):6-7.

Since its introduction 12 years ago, affirmative action has become an increasingly controversial policy to address labour market inequalities in South Africa. In this article BEN ROBERTS, GINA WEIR-SMITH and VASU REDDY examine the reactions of the South African public to affirmative action, the factors influencing these perceptions, and whether they have changed in recent years.

Roberts, B. & Reddy, V. (2008) Pride and prejudice: public attitudes toward homosexuality. HSRC Review. 6(4):9-11.

South Africa is characterised by the co-existence of progressive legislation upholding the rights of lesbians and gay men, and discrimination and violent hate crimes perpetrated against them. By analysing attitudes to homosexual behaviour over the last five years, derived from the South African Social Attitudes Survey (SASAS), the authors provide evidence on the changing direction and intensity...

Sandfort, T.G.M., Nel, J., Rich, E., Reddy, V. & Yi, H. (2008) HIV testing and self-reported HIV status in South African men who have sex with men: results from a community-based survey. Sexually Transmitted Infections. 84:425-429.

Objective: To investigate the characteristics of South African men who have sex with men (MSM) who (1) have been tested for HIV and (2) are HIV positive. Methods: Data were collected from 1045 MSM in community surveys using questionnaires that were administered either face-to-face, by mail or on the internet. The mean age of the men was 29.9 years. The race distribution was 35.3% black, 17.0%...

Newspaper Articles

Reddy, V., Potgieter, C. & Mkhize, N. Black lesbians particularly vulnerable to violent attacks. Cape Argus. (7 December 2006)

Reviews

Reddy, V. (2006) Review: poetics and the politics of African contemporary dance: contesting the visceral. Loots, L. and Young-Jahangeer, M. (eds.) 2005. African contemporary dance? Questioning issues of a performance aesthetic for a developing and independent continent. Durban: University of KwaZulu-Natal. ISBN 1868405869. 104p.. Critical arts. 20(2):116-120.

Much has been written about the politics of performance in Africa, usually addressing theatre, and usually from the perspectives of the Occident. The focus of Africa (and its contemporary dance practices) is highly welcome and overdue, for discussion about this art form is often omitted or devalued within the critical literature. The text represents a unique account of critical reflection of ...

Conference and Seminar Papers

Bennett, J., Reddy, V. & Bardill, L. (2006) International research project on pedagogies of gender & sexuality in higher education: South Africa. (Paper presented at the 2nd International Meeting: Researching the Incorporation of Sexualities in the Academic Curricula of Universalities in Asia, Africa & Latin America Project, November).

Cloete, A., Rispel, L., Reddy, V. & Metcalf, C. (2010) Constructs of identity and HIV risk behaviours among men who have sex with men (MSM) in two South African cities. (Paper presented at the Third Annual International Colloquium: Gender, Sexuality, History and Culture in Africa, University of Lagos, Nigeria, 19-20 June).

Cloete, A., Rispel, L., Metcalf, C. & Reddy, V. (2009) "Get sick first, test later": HIV testing practices of men who have sex with men (MSM) in the Johannesburg/Ethekwini Men's Study (JEMS). (Poster presented at the AIDS Impact Conference, Gaborone, Botswana, 22-25 September).

Metcalf, C., Rispel, L., Cloete, A. & Reddy, V. (2009) "If you talk about a window period of two weeks, it is worse": HIV testing among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Johannesburg and Durban, South Africa. (Poster presentation at the 5th IAS Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention, Cape Town, 19 - 22 July).

Background: The Johannesburg/eThekwini Men's Study (JEMS) was conducted to provide information on HIV among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Johannesburg and Durban, South Africa, in response to reports that MSM in South Africa are disproportionately at risk of HIV infection. The study also assessed the availability and use of health services for MSM. HIV testing services are widely available...

Metcalf, C., Rispel, L., Cloete, A. & Reddy, V. (2009) "You become afraid to tell them that you are gay": availability and utilisation of health services by men who have sex with men (MSM) in the Johannesburg/eThekwini men's study. (Poster presentation at the 5th IAS Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention, Cape Town, 19 - 22 July).

Background: The Johannesburg/eThekwini Men's Study (JEMS) was conducted to provide information on HIV among men who have sex with men (MSM) in two South African cities (Johannesburg and Durban) and to assess the availability of programmes and health services for MSM, in response to the stated commitments of the South African National Strategic Plan on HIV & AIDS and STIs, 2007-2011. Methods: ...

Potgieter, C.A. & Reddy, V. (2006) Gender mainstreaming: a research ethics issue?. (Paper presented tot the Ethics Committee on Gender Mainstreaming, 2 June).

Reddy, V. & Sandfort, T. (2008) Regional MSM research initiatives: UNAIDS/UNDP research project. (Paper presented in Dakar, Senegal, 1 December).

Reddy, V. (2007) The same-sex marriage complex in South Africa: some conceptual, gendered and rights-based interpretations. (Paper presented at a one-day workshop, "Is same-sex marriage ethical?", Unilever Ethics Centre, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Pietermaritzburg).

Reddy, V. (2006) The same-sex marriage complex in South Africa: some conceptual, gendered and rights-based interpretations. (Paper presented at a one-day workshop: Is same-sex marriage ethical?, Unilever Ethics Centre, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Pietermaritzburg).

Rispel, L., Metcalf, C., Cloete, A., Reddy, V., Townsend, L. & Zembe, Y. (2009) Eish but the whites are scarce!: JEMS research challenges. (Paper presented at the SA AIDS 2009 MSM Satellite Conference, 30 March).

Rispel, L., Metcalf, C., Cloete, A., Reddy, V., Townsend, L. & Zembe, Y. (2009) A hidden HIV epidemic among men who have sex with men (MSM)?: preliminary findings from the Johannesburg/eThekwini Men's Study (JEMS). (Paper presented at the 4th SA AIDS Conference, Durban, 31 March to 3 April).